Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

Beginnerstanding

Step your feet wide apart. Arms at your sides for now.

A wide, grounded stance with arms stretched to the horizon. Develop strength, stability, and fierce focus.

Key points

•Front knee bent over the ankle
•Back leg straight and strong
•Arms extended at shoulder height
•Gaze over the front fingertips

Practice with Guru Ananda

Camera setup tips

· Place the camera side-on to you, 2 to 3 metres away.
· Keep your whole body in frame, head to feet.
· Phone on a tripod or a laptop webcam both work.
· Hold each pose, breathe, and let the guide speak.

Theory & Technique

Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II) is the open-hipped counterpart to Warrior I. Here the hips and torso open to the side of the mat, and the arms extend in opposite directions at shoulder height, creating a powerful line of energy from fingertip to fingertip. The front knee bends to roughly 90 degrees, tracking over the second toe, while the back leg stays fully engaged and straight. The torso remains vertical — a common error is leaning toward the front leg, which collapses the side body. Keep equal weight in both legs and imagine you are being pulled in two directions by your hands. The gaze (drishti) is steady over the front middle finger.

Fun Fact

Warrior II is one of the most photographed yoga poses in the world. Ancient stone carvings in Indian temples dating back over 1,000 years depict figures in strikingly similar stances, connecting modern practitioners to millennia of tradition.

Step-by-step guide

Follow these steps to get into the pose correctly.

1
From Mountain Pose, step your feet wide apart — about 4 to 4.5 feet — with arms at your sides.
2
Turn your right foot out 90 degrees and angle your left foot in slightly, aligning the right heel with the left arch.
3
Raise both arms to shoulder height, parallel to the floor, palms facing down, fingers active.
4
Bend your right knee to 90 degrees, stacking the knee directly over the ankle — do not let it drift inward.
5
Press firmly through the outer edge of your back foot and keep the back leg completely straight.
6
Keep your torso vertical and centred between your legs — resist the urge to lean toward the front.
7
Turn your head and gaze over the right fingertips. Hold for 5 breaths, then switch sides.

Benefits

Strengthens and tones the legs, ankles, and feet

Stretches the inner thighs, groins, and chest

Builds stamina and endurance in the lower body

Improves concentration through steady drishti (gaze)

Stimulates abdominal organs and aids digestion

Watch the real thing

Learn from real coaches first. Your live scoring compares you to the reference figure above; these videos are for learning, and stay with their creators on YouTube.